Our Peat Processes and Project Plans

Highland Park is the only distillery in the world to use Orkney heathered peat. We source our peat from an area of Hobbister Moor, just down the road from our distillery. It’s used to smoke our barley, which delivers complex floral aromas in our kilns. This is what creates the unique and satisfyingly subtle hint of aromatic smoke that you can find in every bottle of our Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Hobbister Nature Reserve is a mosaic of dynamic natural habitats – from peatlands to saltmarsh and sea cliffs. It’s also home to red-listed species such as Hen Harrier and Curlew. We maintain a close custodial role on Hobbister Moor alongside the RSPB and, under licence from Orkney Islands Council, we operate in close accordance with the strict regulations associated with the nature reserve designation. We also own and manage the area of Hobbister Moor where we source our peat from, meaning we have rare direct control over our own extraction methods. 

As a member of the Scotch Whisky Association, we align fully with their Commitment to Responsible Peat Use (CRPU) strategy. This sets a framework to ensure that all members of the SWA are actively engaged in developing and delivering plans for the responsible extraction, reduction, restoration and protection of peat. Our plans and progress in each of these areas are detailed below. 

Responsible extraction and reduction processes 

• We’ve made good progress across our distillery-controlled processes of peat reduction and extraction. Our ability to directly control our own extraction methods means that we are already operating to high industry standards.
• In 2023, our distillery team achieved the Responsibly Managed Peatlands Certification. This distinguishes certified companies whose operations are minimising negative environmental impacts. Our certification will be reviewed annually through rigorous on-site audits, providing a framework for continuous improvement in peatland management.
• Our distillery team are working with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) to support the development of their Framework for Best Practice for Peat Extraction – due to be published in 2025. We’ve contributed by sharing case studies of our extraction and restoration work on Hobbister Moor.
• Our Distillery Manager works directly with the SWA and contributes to their own Peat Action Plan. She will continue to inform industry-shaping policies, regulations and advancements by sharing best-practice experiences developed here at Highland Park. This will provide a unique and under-represented perspective of smaller scale, island-based, self-supplying operators.
• We’ve driven efficiencies in our kilning process to a level where we have been able to significantly reduce the amount of peat that we extract from Hobbister Moor - without changing the complex character and distinctive taste of our whisky. Typically, we extract around one third of the volume of peat per year that is permitted under our license. 

Peatland restoration projects 

• Our distillery team has completed several peatland restoration pilot initiatives on Hobbister Moor to date. These include returfing, water retention trials and geo-jute matting.
• In 2024, we received a grant of funding to establish a three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). This has enabled us to recruit a researcher who will now focus specifically on establishing the right long-term scalable restoration and conservation methods for the heather peatland of Hobbister Moor.
• The first phase of this project will focus on peatland restoration, which will involve testing and trialling various techniques to determine which methods work best on Hobbister Moor.
• The outcomes of this partnership will inform future restoration, regeneration and peatland management initiatives on Hobbister Moor, forming an integral part of our Peat Management and Restoration Plan, which will be fully aligned to the Scotch Whisky Association’s Peat Action Plan.
• Working closely alongside the RSPB and independent ecological consultants, we’ll continue to ensure that any scalable peat restoration projects are developed specifically to the protected habitats on Hobbister – and adapted to our uniquely exposed, heather dotted peatlands. 

Peatland protection practices 

• Through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, we will also focus on the conservation of peatlands on Hobbister Moor. This will involve implementing best practices to preserve the healthy peatland areas specifically on Hobbister, whilst reviewing the management of the site to ensure that it is protected in future.
• We already operate a close custodial role on Hobbister Moor alongside the RSPB, where we focus on our responsibility to the land and natural habitat (which also sits adjacent to a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest).
• Engaging with NatureScot and continuing to develop protection plans with the RSPB, we’ll continue to manage, protect and enhance the unique ecology and biodiversity of our dynamic Orcadian landscape.